Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 22, November, 1878Various
History
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 22, November, 1878
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
"But this is her cousin, and she may not wish to perform so trying a
service; so I will leave it to her.--Judy, if you prefer not going to
Mr. H----'s just at present, I will send word that I cannot spare you."
Judy threw her apron over her head with a vari-toned cry issued in the
keys of grief, anger and scorn. Then she stiffened her neck and rolled
her eyes from side to side till the whites glistened again. "Go dar,
indeed!" she indignantly exclaimed. "Ef I couldn't go on de lot to see
my own dear cousin, I know I ain't gwine to dress up his dead nigger!"
The leading trait of the negro is his instability, his superficiality.
It is superlative. His emotions are as easily aroused and as evanescent
as those of children, flowing in a noisy and tumultuous current, but
utterly without depth and volatile as ether. To this may in a measure be
attributed his lack of progress, but I doubt whether he be capable of
any high order of development without an infusion of Caucasian blood
which will dissipate his simian type, improving the shape of his
retreating forehead, changing the contour of his heavy jaw, giving
weight and measurement to his now inferior and inactive brain. Since the
surrender and the institution of public schools, and the opportunities
for improvement afforded him, we seem to have all around us evidence of
this utter instability of character. Never since the world began has he
had, and never will he have again, the incentives and aids to
improvement which at that time fell into his hands. There was, as one
spur to ambition, the spirit of resentment which he was supposed
naturally to entertain at having been kept in servitude by even the
kindest of masters; but the negro is amiable and forgiving, and not only
during but after the war conducted himself with admirable good feeling
and moderation. Granting, then, that he indulged no feeling of
resentment, there must have been, should have been, there was, a
sentiment of rivalry with the whites which was pardonable and proper to
the most amiable and forgiving nature; and at first the young negroes
applied themselves with assiduity, and learned with an avidity which
delighted some classes, and was no doubt a discomfiting surprise to
others. It was astonishing to see the rapidity with which they mastered
the alphabet of progress, and white mothers said to their indolent or
refractory children, "Are you not ashamed to see little negroes more
studious than yourself, making even greater progress according to their
advantages, and in matters with which you should be already familiar?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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